Forgotten
by Tears of Stardust
Summary: A/U The memory now is like the picture was then; once the paper's crumpled up it can't be perfect again. *Ch.2 Uploaded!*
1. Hidden Truths Revealed

Forgotten  
  
Summary: A/U "The memory now is like the picture was then; when the paper's crumpled up it can't be perfect again." What if in locking the worlds Sora was condemning them to forever be over-run by Heartless, instead of the happy alternate that he had been fed by strangers? What if those helping Sora had a hidden agenda? And what if what was thought of as pure, black evil was only a mottled shade of gray? Genre: Drama/Angst/Action/Adventure Rating: PG-13 Status: Incomplete  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Linkin Park from which the title and summary for the story (the part in quotes) comes from.  
  
  
  
Sweat dripped off his body; the only thing that betrayed how nervous he felt at this moment. It made his grip on the Keyblade slippery, and he had to tighten his fists in order to keep it in his grasp. Sora and his two companions stood on an earthern-platform that hovered in the air above water that looked look quite solid despite the fact that it was -obviously- water. This same water rushed upwards all around them; waterfalls that made up a complete wall and defied gravity itself as they reached for the sky. It was an unsettling scene.  
  
"Well, let's go." Sora winced as he could hear the forced cheer he had put into his voice and hoped that Donald and Goofy didn't hear it too. They didn't give any sign of noticing, and for this Sora gave a silent thanks.  
  
Making their way up the platforms proved an easy feat, though Sora felt more than a little perturbed about the giant, opaque bubbles that floated by the hovering daises. A cold chill worked it's way down his back, making him feel as he was being watch. There was something not right about this place, about this time.  
  
Suddenly, Sora wanted to flee, to grab his two friends and run out of there like the hounds of Hades were on their heels. But something held him to his place, a something that not even until his dying day could he figure out. Maybe it was the power of the Keyblade, forcing his legs forward, or maybe it was his own spirit, crying out to save Kairi, the worlds, Riku..even himself.  
  
As soon as he saw the pristine pool of water resting on the platform, he felt dread wash over and seize his heart. Whatever was going to happen, was going to happen now.  
  
Riku.as soon as his form appeared, Sora knew. Riku's come for me.and this time he's not going to fail. A flippant toss of his silver hair told Sora all he needed to know. That at this moment, he had lost.  
  
"Do you know what you do, Keyblade bearer?" Riku stood slightly elevated above the trio, and was sneering down at them in contempt. "Do you know what you are doing to all these worlds, all these people who are depending on you? Do you, Keyblade bearer?"  
  
When Riku had shown up, Donald and Goofy had fallen behind Sora in line, ready to defend their friend should worst come to worst. Now they began to shift uncomfortably. They knew that Riku knew. They also knew that Sora did not know. The fact that Sora didn't know was the thing that had kept him blindly shoving forward, completing someone else's dirty work for them. But now.now the truth was going to come out.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sora shouted back at him. This feeling.it was like everything he had done to this point had all been in vain. That his life in itself was worthless.  
  
"You, Sora. You are the reason that the Heartless will never leave all the worlds." Riku smirked condescendingly at the confused expression that Sora couldn't stop from quickly flashing across his young face.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sora had meant to sound threatening, but his words were as hollow as he himself was beginning to feel. Trepidation had wormed it's way into his heart, although Sora knew that everyone he had trusted thus far had been on the side opposite the Heartless.or had they? Try as he might, Sora couldn't dispel the feeling that Riku was right.  
  
"What I mean, is that instead of locking the Heartless out, you've only succeeding in locking them in," Riku started to explain patronizingly, "Ever wonder why the Heartless that are left in locked worlds keep replenishing themselves even though you've already killed hordes upon hordes of them?"  
  
Sora felt ice crawl into his veins as he froze to the spot. He was right, he was right, he was right. that same phrase repeated through his head. "No, you can't be right!" Sora exclaimed suddenly, a thought dawning upon him. "Then why would Ursula, Malificent and all the others want to find the keyholes first? They were sided with the Heartless!"  
  
"Don't listen to him Sora," Donald quacked uneasily, speaking up for the first time in all this argument. Goofy remained silent, not being able to look at Sora and convincingly lie. This was all too much for the both of them: Sora figuring out the truth during the crucial part of their mission. This was bad. This was very bad.  
  
Riku chuckled softly, and shook his head. "They were misguided fools. They thought they were controlling the Heartless while all the time the Heartless controlled them. They paid for it in the end, all of them."  
  
Riku flung his right arm straight out and then Sora felt the Keyblade dissolve under his grip. Sora had no time to think before his Keyblade had chosen a new master, a more twisted master, but more powerful than Sora nonetheless.  
  
"Well? Are you two going to stick with your duty and follow the Key for King Mickey or what?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~ A/N: Yeah, I know it's short. And I don't want anyone yelling at me for my plot inconsistencies; it's an alternate universe fic after all. Anyway, review, review, and treat yourself to some chocolate ^_^ 


	2. Aching Hearts

Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: Me no own.  
  
Sora shot a frightened glance to his companions. They wouldn't leave him alone to face the trials of Hallow Bastion, defenseless and alone.would they? He glanced at their faces, and saw their inner turmoil: taking place behind their eyes. Keyblade or Sora, keyblade or Sora, keyblade or Sora.which did they value more? Wait, that wasn't it. It was their king or a boy. King or boy. Sora didn't try to console himself with any shades of gray, as the situation was easiest dealt with in black and white.  
  
He watched as one webbed foot stepped forward, then one boot, and Sora realized that they had come to the same painful decision as he had. Protecting the keyblade was far more important than him; a life guided by fate and then was swiftly forsaken by it.  
  
Sora wanted to yell, to shout some obscenities, to tell his companions what fools they were being and that Riku was evil. But he couldn't. The words stuck to the back of his throat, and there they burned until Sora felt tears start to prick his eyes. But no, he refused to cry; he refused to show his enemy as well as himself his weakness. He couldn't give Riku the satisfaction of knowing that he had bested Sora; that his quest had ended and Riku's was close to completion. Sora knew better. He knew he didn't need to.  
  
Goofy glanced back at Sora as he walked to Riku, his canine eyes swam with caring and he didn't look sure of his course of actions, but he was taking them nonetheless. Donald tried his best to hold his head high, to show Riku and Goofy that he had no fear. But Sora knew better. He knew that it was all a façade. Donald had to stay strong for Goofy.and also for Sora. Donald was conveying that even though he was not there, Sora's quest would continue. Even now, Sora's not sure whether that was a good or bad thing at that time.  
  
"Let's go," Riku commanded. He glanced over at Sora, and Sora saw the triumph in his eyes. He thought he had won. That he would bring darkness to all the worlds once and for all; that good only beat evil in children's bedtime stories. And at that time, he was right. For this brief instant in time, evil won.though only because at this brief instant, hope almost faded out. Almost.  
  
Suddenly, a great creature appeared from seemingly the platform behind Sora, taking a swipe of his massive paw at Riku. He stumbled back just in time, and sneered at the beast. The creature was easily 7 feet tall, his shaggy, brown fur covered by a violent cape. Twin horns rose from his forehead and his face was twisted into a snarl.  
  
"Give me back Belle," the monster growled, rage flashing through his intelligent brown eyes.  
  
"Or what?" Riku challenged.  
  
There was not time enough for anyone to react; no one that is except for the beast. He leapt for Riku, claws outstretched to tear out Riku's throat. He was a charging locomotive of fangs and claws, out for the blood of those who had captured the love of his life.  
  
Suddenly, a force beyond anyone there threw the creature back so he landed on his side. Tendrils of darkness had shot out of the keyblade and stopped the beast from hurting it's wielder, tossing him as if he were no more than a paper doll.  
  
Sora felt his stomach drop to the ground. Was that the dark power that the keyblade possesses? Does that mean that Riku's right.? But.  
  
He was interrupted from his thoughts by Riku, who had decided to gloat over the invincibility that the keyblade offered to him. "When will you ever learn? You won't get Belle back Beast, ever!" Riku pointed the keyblade at him, and Sora saw Beast flinch away from it.  
  
Donald and Goofy had stepped back, in their own silent way hoping that Beast did complete the lunge that would have surely sent Riku's head rolling across the ground. Instead of doing that, it fed Riku's already almost colossal ego, something that was good for no one on either side.  
  
"Now c'mon, let's leave Sora with his new friend." Riku turned and began to walk away, making Donald and Goofy scramble after him. Goofy shot an apologetic look back at Sora before following the new keyblade master. So then it was just Sora and Beast.  
  
Beast turned his shaggy head and looked at Sora, sizing him up. "So, you were the the keyblade master before Riku?"  
  
"Yeah, the name's Sora. And you are.?"  
  
"Just Beast."  
  
"Ah, ok. So who is this Belle?"  
  
Beast seemed to grow gentler for a second, as though a vicious veil had been lifted off of him. "She.she is the only one who has cared enough to melt a stone heart.cared enough to turn me into a man. But look at me now," Beast held out his paws and studied them, his eyes tracing the hooked end of each of his claws and the furry tufts between them, "Ever since Belle left, I've reverted back to my old form. I need to find her again, to protect her, and save her like she has me."  
  
"I'll help you." Sora gazed up into Beast's chocolate eyes and held his gaze with Sora's own. "I too have lost someone important to me. I know how it feels."  
  
"Alright," Beast grunted, nodding his head. "I'll help you on your way to finding your special someone. But once I find Belle, that's where my journey ends."  
  
Sora nodded, as he was pleased just to have someone with him. But how long until he too deserts you? The voice inside his head hissed. We'll have to just wait and find out, Sora replied.  
  
~*~*~* A/N: Ugh, still have major writer's block on this story, just managed to squeeze something out. If anyone could give me an overview as to storyline within Hallow Bastion up to the point where Sora and Ansem fight, it would be greatly appreciated, as I have a mind terrible at remembering things. Reviews will be baked a tasty golden brown and flames will be used to warm my cold house. ^_^ 


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